Communist leader Vladimir Voronin says he would contest the vote at the constitutional court. He accused the government of seeking to sideline the Communists who governed for nine years until 2009.

Fifty-three of 101 lawmakers— all from the pro-European governing alliance— voted Thursday to ban the hammer and sickle symbol. Moldova threw off communism 21 years ago, but communist symbols are still relatively common.

Liberal Party leader Mihai Ghimpu said “in 1940, communism arrived on tanks with bayonets. Thousands became victims of this criminal regime, shot, deported to Siberia, imprisoned in gulags … Most never came home.”